Carriers for looped cables in mining installations

ABSTRACT

A carrier for looped cables used to supply power and water to mining machines which transverse to and fro along a mineral face. A number of carriers are attached to a spill plate or clevis rail each carrier having a pivotally mounted gate biased in a closed position. Looped cables can be enclosed within the bracket under the gate to avoid damage of the cables by, for example, flapping of a haulage chain.

I United States Patent 11113,574,4

[72] Inventor Terence Hubbard [56] References Cited Langley Mill, g and UNITED STATES PATENTS [211 P 792,940 3,113,763 12/1963 Wendt et a1. 299/43 1221 Med 1969 3 284 13% 11/1966 Binaut 299/34 d p 13 1971 [451 1 3,339,981 9/1967 06111111111111 et a1. 299/43x [73] Assrgnee Perard Engineering Limited 4 FOREIGN PATENTS [32] Priority Jan. 26, 1968, Apr. 10, 1968 [33] G t B it i 1,050,436 12/1966 Great Britain 299/43 [31] 4101 3 and 35 1,081,533 8/1967 Great Britain 299/43 Primary Examiner-Ernest R. Purser Att0rneyLarson, Taylor & Hinds [54] CARRIERS FOR LOOPED CABLES IN MINING INSTALLATIONS ABSTRACT: A carrier for looped cables used to supply power 14 Clams 16 Drawing Flgs' and water to mining machines which transverse to and fro [52] US. Cl 299/19, along a mineral face. A number of carriers are attached to a 299/43 spill plate or clevis rail each carrier having a pivotally [51] Int. Cl. E2lc 29/04 mounted gate biased in a closed position. Looped cables can [50] Field of Search 299/32, 34, be enclosed within the bracket under the gate to avoid damage 43, 19, 18 of the cables by, for example, flapping of a haulage chain.

PATENTED APR] 2 m 3574' 403 SHEET 1 OF 7 I PATENTED APR 1 a 1971 SHE-ET u 0F 7 PATENTED APR 1 3 I97| sum? or 7 III I //////////////f IiIIIIl-I as 36.8. I

CARRIERS FOR LOOPED CABLES IN MINING INSTALLATIONS The present invention concerns improvements in carriers for looped cables used to supply power and water to mining machines which traverse to and fro along a mineral face and to apparatus for controlling such looped cables, particularly though not exclusively to such carriers and apparatus when used in coal mines.

It is a problem in such carriers that the cable has to be looped when the machine is travelling along its fixed path but before it has reached its extremities of movement and this loop has to be observed continually by a supervisor to ensure that it does not flop onto any stationary objects which might cause a rupture of the cable and/or pipe as the machine continues to traverse its fixed path.

It is a principle object of the present invention to provide a carrier for such looped cables which when used with other mining equipment reduces the chance that the loop will flop onto any stationary objects causing a rupture of such cables as the machine traverses its fixed path.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a carrier which does not foul the haulage chain of the mining machine.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a carrier which can be used with spill plates on mineral faces of less than 46 inches in height.

It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a carrier which can be easily secured to a spill plate or clevis rail at any desired locality along the spill plate or clevis rail.

It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a carrier which can hold static cables normally associated with mining installations which will form an open-bottomed trough for said loop to run in.

According to the present invention there is provided a carrier for looped cables used to supply power and water to mining machines which traverse to and fro along a mineral face, which carrier comprises a support portion adapted for securement to spill plate associated with face conveyor or to a clevis rail attached to a spill plate, a loop carrier portion carried by said support portion, a pivotally mounted gate biased to a closed position, so that said portions with the gate in a closed position or said portions and an extension out of the plane of spill plate, or a clevis rail and spill plate, with said gate in a closed position are capable of enclosing an area to accommodate the looped cables.

The support portion preferably comprises a plate either having bores therein for receipt of bolts to secure the same to a spill plate or an inverted channel portion for engagement with the top of a spill plate. The provision of the inverted channel portion greatly facilitates securement of the carrier to a spill plate at any desired locality therealong. Alternatively, when said plate has bores therein the plate is provided with a raised portion against which in use, a spill plate is secured. This is convenient where the spill plate has to be smaller in height than the height of the plate, the displacement between the plate and the spill plate being sufficient to accommodate a sprocket wheel of a coal cutting machine panzer conveyor.

The gate can be pivotally mounted on the loop carrying portion which comprises a bracket expansile so as to accommodate in use the double thickness of the looped cables as the widest part of the loop being passed therethrough. This has the advantage that such a cable carrier can be mounted upon spill plates and used in coal mines in which medium to small seams are being worked i.e. seams of less than 46 inches in height. The cable loop is prevented from flopping from sideto-side and is kept in position immediately adjacent the coalcutting machine during use and excessive bending strain of the pipe is avoided.

The loop carrier portion preferably carries a cable holder for carrying the static cables normally associated with mining installations, said holder being carried so that when a plurality of carriers are secured to a spill plate in use, the static cables carried by the holder, form with the spill plate, a trough for the loop to run in which is open at the bottom.

- rest of said carrier is flush with In one preferred embodiment said gate is mounted so as to pivot from a horizontal position to a downwardly inclined position and is provided with a flap hinged to one of said portions so as to expose in one position said gate to such cables and in a closed position to prevent access of such cables to the gate, and the flap is adapted to be moved to said closed position by said gate when said gate is opened by the passage of such cables. The flap is lifted. up in use, by the coal face machine operator or by an automatic device such as a wedge incorporated on the machine. Should the machine haulage chain pass between the plate and the bracket excessive damage could be caused.

In another preferred embodiment said gate is mounted so as to pivot horizontally in normal use about a center point against the action of a spring, the pivot point of said gate being movable vertically to a point whereat said gate is not pivotable in any direction. This obviates the necessity for the aforementioned flaps.

.It is also within the scope of this invention to provide in for controlling looped cables used to supply power and water to mining machines, which apparatus comprises a spill plate carrying at spaced intervals therealong the above-mentioned carriers, said spill plate being adapted to be coupled with similar spill plates along side of mineral face and to mineral conveyors above which the flush with machine moves as aforesaid. I

The spill plate preferably carries a clevis rail along its bottom edge and a rail along its top edge on a face remote from said mineral conveyors so that that portion of the channel portion which is on the remote side of said rail to the said remote face of the spill plate.

In an alternative embodiment to the above wherein the loop carrier portion and the support portion comprises respectively upper and lower portions of a bracket. The lower portion of the bracket supports a shock absorber which is adapted to be secured by, for example, bolting to either a clevis rail attached to a spill plate or an integral extension out of the plane of the spill plate. When this bracket and shock absorber are so secured, a trough is formed by the spill plate, or spill plate and clevis rail, and the bracket along which the loop of the cable can pass as aforesaid.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 shows a side elevation of a carrier;

FIG. 2 shows a plan view of FIG 1;'

FIGS. 3a to 31' show in side view a coal-cutting machine in nine particular positions during its course along its fixed path;

FIG. 4 shows a fragmentary side view of a carrier according to a second embodiment;

FIG. 5 shows a side view of a carrier according to a third embodiment;

FIG. 6 shows a side view of a carrier according to a fourth embodiment;

FIG. 7 shows a cross section of apparatus for controlling looped cables used for supplying water and power to a coalcutting machine; and

FIG. 8 shows a side view of the apparatus of FIG. 8 with certain parts removed.

Referring now more particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2 there is shown a carrier for carrying a looped cable and/or pipe for a coal-cutting machine which comprises a flat plate 1 carrying a bracket 2 at a point 6 and a spindle 3 carrying a rotatable roller 4. The spindle 3 is urged into abutting engagement with the plate I by a spring 5 connected to the bracket 2 at one end of the spring and to the spindle of the roller 4 at the other end of the spring. The length of the roller 4 and the width between the plate 1 and the bracket 2 is sufficient to accommodate the aforementioned cable and/or pipe. The distance between the roller 4 and the point 6 at which the bracket 2 is connected to the plate 1 is sufficient to accommodate the double thickness of the looped cable and/or pipe. The bracket 2 is further provided with a cable holder generally indicated 7, consisting of a plurality of platforms 8. A gate 9 is pivoted at 10 on the top platform 14. The gate 9 can pivot in the plane of FIG. 1 to thereby give access to cables normally supported thereby in use, the cables being the normal static cables associated with mining.

Locking means generally indicated 11 are provided to secure the gate 9 in the closed position i.e. the position indicated in FIG. 1.

A top flap 16 is pivoted at 17 on pivot arms 2] welded to the top platform 14 to be opened and closed by a coal face machine operator or by an automatic device such as a wedge incorporated on the machine.

This flap is provided to stop the machine haulage chain which tends to ship up and down from depressing spindle roller 4 and passing between bracket 2 and plate I thereby causing excessive damage. Flap 16 is detachable by removal of a grub screw 18 shown in FIG. 2.

Under certain conditions these flaps can be dispensed with. A tie bar 20 binds both pivot arms 21 together for additional strength and for forming an abutment for the flaps I6 when open. I

From inspection of FIG. I and to it will be clear that the bracket 2 comprises a pair of pipes 12 welded at 13 and joined together by the top platform 14 which also acts as a top plate for cable holder. The end of the two pipes 12 are joined to plate 1 by welding.

Although not shown the plate 1 can be provided with a pair of abutments one in the lowermost end and a second abutment halfway up the bracket parallel to the first abutment and parallel to the bottom of the plate I. These abutments are provided with blind internally screw-threaded holes into which screws provided on a spill plate not shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 can be screwed-Thus a spill plate of as little as half the height of the plate 1 can be used with this carrier. This is particularly convenient in coal mining when only small seams not much in excess of the total height of the bracket are being worked as space is provided for the clear passage of the driving sprocket wheel of the haulage chain of the Panzer (Registered Trade Mark) conveyor normally associated with a coal-cutting machine. The sprocket wheel generally extends vertically above. If a large face is being worked these abutments are not necessary and thus under such circumstances are undesirable as the distance between the coal-cutting machine and the mine roof supports disposed on the opposite side of this carrier must be kept to a minimum in order not to leave too much unsupported mine roof.

The spill plates carry a lateral angle type plate know as a clevis rail to which the carrier may be also secured. This plate is normally provided to be gripped by a gripping member of a hydraulically reciprocable arm carried by the mine roof support apparatus previously mentioned, on the opposite side of the spill plate to that of the coal-cutting machine. The spill plate can be moved forward as is nonnal practice and the roof support then drawn forward towards the spill plate by retraction of the hydraulic arm.

FIGS. 3a3i shows a coal-cutting machine 31 and its associated cable 32 connected to a source of power not shown, the cable 32 is also strapped to a flexible pipe also connected to the coal-cutting machine motor. This pipe is not shown in FIGS. 3a-3i.

When the coal-cutting machine traverses along its fixed path from the center of the spill plate 33 the coal face machine operator, or an automatic device will raise the flap 16 to permit cable 32 to depress roller 4 and thus pass between the plate I and the bracket 2. The cable 32 will thus be entirely between the plate 1 and the bracket 2 when the cutting machine reaches the extreme position shown in FIG. 30. As the machine progresses in the direction shown in FIG. 3b the cable 32 will pass under spindle 3 in like manner thus producing a loop, a double thickness of cable passing under the spindle 3.

The machine progresses along its path from the position shown in FIG. 3b to that shown in FIG. 3e the cable successively depressing each spindle as described.

In order that the cable loop does not fall towards the mine roof supports and become trapped, use is made of the static cables resting on the platform 8 in cable holders 7 to form a trough with the spill plate. This is a very important feature of the design as it is essential to keep the loop of the machine cable along with the water hose in a vertical position. If static cables are not used in cable holders 7 or if cable holders 7 are not attached, some other means of strapping between brackets 2 must be incorporated. Thus the loop formed must eventually be drawn underneath the spindles 3 in turn and cannot snag on any part of the carriers. Similarly the pipe which is secured to the cable is drawn through the gate formed by the roller 4 as the machine progresses along its path. The loop formed by the cable and the loop formed by the pipe tend to part company and are drawn through separately by the machine. The same process is repeated in the reverse direction i.e. from the position shown in FIG. 32 to the position shown in FIG. 3i.

Referring now to FIG. 4 there is shown a fragmentary side view of a carrier according to a second embodiment in which the gate 41 is hinged at 42 and carries an extension 43 for engagement in a channel 44 of flap 45 when flap 45 is in an open position.

In this embodiment the plate 46 has an inverted channel portion 47 for engagement with a rail carried at the top of a spill plate not shown and a raised portion 49 to ensure parallel spacing between plate 46 and the spill plate. If desired, these raised portions 49 can have bores therein to which spill plates can be secured.

In use, flaps 45 of each carrier are opened by the machine operator or by the wedge as aforesaid and when the cable passes through gate 41 depressing the same as viewed in FIG. 4 the extension 43 engaging in channel 44 will cause flap 45 to descend to the position shown in FIG. 4.

In FIG. 5 there is shown a third embodiment similar to the first embodiment except thatbracket 61 carries an extension 62 upon which telescopically slides a cylinder 63 to which the gate 64 is hinged at 65 and between which the spring 66 biassing the gate 64 to a closed position is disposed. The flap 67 performs the same function as in the other embodiments of this invention.

When this cable carrier is mounted upon spill plates in the manner of the first embodiment and used in coal mines in which medium to small seams are being worked i.e. seams of less than 46 inches in height, the cable loop is still prevented from flopping from side-to-side and is kept in position immediately behind the coal-cutting machine during use and is not subjected to undue bending strain as the loop passes through the carrier as the area enclosed by gate 64, cylinder 63 and bracket 61 expands so as to accommodate the thickness of the looped cable as the widest part of the loop is being passed therethrough. At the point where the coalcutting machine is passing a carrier, the parts of the coalcutting machine which overhang all the carriers will not foul the carriers as they will be considerably smaller at that part of the coal face where the machine is cutting than at the part where the widest part of the loop of the cables is passing.

Referring now to FIG. 6 there is shown a fourth embodiment in which the gate 71 is mounted at 72 so as to pivot horizontally in use about a pivot point 73 against the action of a pair of springs not shown disposed on either side of 73. Pivot bar 74 to which the springs are connected is movable vertically from the position shown to a point whereat the gate is not pivotable in any position. This obviates the necessity for the flaps of the other embodiments.

The mode of operation of this embodiment is that when the coal-cutting machine passes the carrier the cable abuts against for example the side of gate 71 facing the viewer thereby causing 71 to pivot in a horizontal plane into the page to permit access of the cable to the interior of the carrier as the loop approaches the gate. However, the angle of the top surface of the cable is such as to tend to force gate 71 upwards as viewed in FIG. 6, rather than into the page. However, the initial force on gate 7l is more in an upward direction than a horizontal direction and the gate rises into the position wherein it becomes locked and cannot pivot one way or the other thus the loop is slightly compressed as it passes under the gate 71 but like all the other embodiments is prevented from flopping from side-to-side.

Referring now to FIGS. 7 and 8 there is shown apparatus for controlling a looped cable used to supply power and water to coal-cutting machines which apparatus comprises a spill plate 81 carrying at spaced intervals therealong carriers 82 only one of which is shown in FIG. 7. The carrier of FIG. 8 is in fact the carrier of FIGS. 4 and 5 although it will be appreciated to those skilled in the art that the carrier could be the one disclosed in any of the other embodiment hereinbefore described.

Each spill plate 81 is bent slightly at 83 to be coupled to the next spill plate 81 along a mineral face and is adapted to be secured to a mineral conveyor 84 by a U-shaped spacer 85 which provides a rail along which a wheel or similar extension of a coal-cutting machine can pass so as to effectively position the coal cutter at a desired location above conveyor 84.

As the carrier of FIG. 4 is in fact being used in the drawing each spill plate 81 carries a rail 91 along its top edge 86 on a face 87 remote from the mineral conveyor 84 so that that portion 88 of the channel portion 44 which is on the remote side of the rail to the rest of the carrier is flush with face 89 of the spill plate 81.

A clevis rail 90 is provided along the bottom of the spill plate and is for purposes of engagement by pushrods of the hydraulic rams associated with the roof supports immediately to the left of the carrier as shown in FIG. 8.

The operation of the apparatus of FIGS. 7 and 8 will be apparent from the overall operation of the apparatus described with reference to FIG. 3 as FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of the layout which in fact incorporates the apparatus of FIGS. 7 and 8.

In all of the embodiments described of the carriers used in this apparatus there can also be provided a plate on some of the carriers on the exposed side of the cable holder or on the bracket immediately below the cable holder for mounting signal boxes and telecommunications apparatus for use by the coal-cutting machine operator with any other person further down the coal face or with the central control for the whole mine in which the apparatus happens to be working.

In an alternative embodiment to the above the loop carrier portion and the support portion comprise respectively upper and the lower portion of the bracket supports the lower end of which is provided a shock absorber which is adapted to be secured, by, for example, bolting to either a clevis rail attached to a spill plate or extension out of the plane of the spill plate. When this bracket and shock absorber are so secured, plate, or spill plate and clevis rail, and the bracket along which the loop of the cable can pass as aforesaid.

lclaim:

I. A carrier for looped cables used to supply power and water to mining machines which traverse to and fro along a mineral face, which carrier comprises a support portion adapted for securement to a spill plate associated with a face conveyor or to a clevis rail attached to a spill plate, a loop carrier portion carried by said support portion, a pivotally mounted gate biased to a closed position, so that said portions with the gate in a closed position or said portions and an extension out of the plane of spill plate, or a clevis rail and spill plate, with said gate in a closed position. are capable of enclosing an area to accommodate the looped cables.

2. A carrier as claimed in claim 1 wherein said gate is mounted so as to pivot horizontally in normal use about a center point against the action of a spring, the pivot point of said gate being movable vertically to a point whereat said gate is not pivotable in any direction.

3. A carrier as claimed in claim 1 wherein said gate is mounted so as to pivot from a horizontal position to a downwardly inclined position and a flap is provided hinged so as to expose in one position said gate to such cables and in a closed position to prevent access of such cables to the gate.

4. A carrier as claimed in claim 3 wherein said flap is adapted to be moved to said closed position by said gate when said gate is opened by the passage of such cables.

5. A carrier as claimed in claim I wherein the gate is in the form of a spindle carrying a roller, the spindle being biassed to a closed position by a spring connected to the loop carrier portion upon which the spindle of the gate is pivotally mounted.

6. A carrier as claimed in claim 1 wherein said loop carrier portion carries a cable holder for carrying the static cables normally associated with mining installations, said holder being carried so that when a plurality of carriers are secured to a spill plate in use, the static cables carried by the holder form with the spill plate a trough for the loop to run in which is open at the bottom.

7. A carrier as claimed in claim 1 wherein said gate is mounted so as to pivot from a horizontal position to a downwardly inclined position and a flap is provided hinged so as to expose in one position said gate to such cables and in a closed position to prevent access of such cables to the gate, and wherein said loop carrier portion carries a cable holder for carrying the static cables normally associated with mining installations, said holder being carried so that when a plurality of carriers are secured to a spill plate in use, the static cables carried by the holder form with the spill plate a trough for the loop to run in which is open at the bottom.

8. A carrier as claimed in claim 1 wherein said loop carrier portion is expansible so as to accommodate in use the double thickness of the looped cables as the widest part of the loop is being passed therethrough.

9. A carrier as claimed in claim 8 wherein said loop carrier portion comprises a bracket comprised of two telescopically slidable parts.

10. A carrier as claimed in claim 1 wherein said support portion comprises a plate either having bores therein for receipt of bolts to secure the same to a spill plate or an inverted channel portion for engagement with the top of a spill plate.

11. A carrier as claimed in claim 1 wherein said support portion comprises a plate having bores therein for receipt of bolts to secure the same to a spill plate or an inverted channel portion for engagement with the top of a spill plate, and the plate is provided with a lateral extension against which in use a spill plate is secured.

12. A carrier as claimed in claim I wherein said loop carrier portion and said support portion comprises respective upper and lower portions of a bracket adapted in its lower portion for securement to an extension out of the plane of the spill plate or to a clevis rail attached to the spill plate so that in use the bracket with the spill plate and its extension or the clevis rail and the spill plate forms a trough for the loops to run in.

13. Apparatus for controlling looped cables used to supply power and water to mining machines, which apparatus comprises a spill plate carrying at spaced intervals therealong the carrier comprising a support portion adapted for securement to a spill plate associated with a face conveyor or to a clevis rail attached to a spill plate, a loop carrier portion carried by said support portion, a pivotally mounted gate biased to a closed position, so that said portions with the gate in a closed position or said portions and an extension out of the plane of spill plate, or a clevis rail and spill plate, with said gate in a closed position are capable of enclosing an area to accommodate the looped cables.

14. Apparatus for controlling looped cables used to supply power and water to mining machines, which apparatus comprises a spill plate carrying at spaced intervals therealong a carrier comprising a support portion adapted for securement to a spill plate, a loop carrier portion carried by said support on a face remote from said mineral conveyors so that that portion of the channel portion which is on the remote side of said rail to the rest of said carrier is flush with said remote face of the spill plate. 

1. A carrier for looped cables used to supply power and water to mining machines which traverse to and fro along a mineral face, which carrier comprises a support portion adapted for securement to a spill plate associated with a face conveyor or to a clevis rail attached to a spill plate, a loop carrier portion carried by said support portion, a pivotally mounted gate biased to a closed position, so that said portions with the gate in a closed position or said portions and an extension out of the plane of spill plate, or a clevis rail and spill plate, with said gate in a closed position are capable of enclosing an area to accommodate the looped cables.
 2. A carrier as claimed in claim 1 wherein said gate is mounted so as to pivot horizontally in normal use about a center point against the action of a spring, the pivot point of said gate being movable vertically to a point whereat said gate is not pivotable in any direction.
 3. A carrier as claimed in claim 1 wherein said gate is mounted so as to pivot from a horizontal position to a downwardly inclined position and a flap is provided hinged so as to expose in one position said gate to such cables and in a closed position to prevent access of such cables to the gate.
 4. A carrier as claimed in claim 3 wherein said flap is adapted to be moved to said closed position by said gate when said gate is opened by the passage of such cables.
 5. A carrier as claimed in claim 1 wherein the gate is in the form of a spindle carrying a roller, the spindle being biassed to a closed position by a spring connected to the loop carrier portion upon which the spindle of the gate is pivotally mounted.
 6. A carrier as claimed in claim 1 wherein said loop carrier portion carries a cable holder for carrying the static cables normally associated with mining installations, said holder being carried so that when a plurality of carriers are secured to a spill plate in use, the static cables carried by the holder form with the spill plate a trough for the loop to run in which is open at the bottom.
 7. A carrier as claimed in claim 1 wherein said gate is mounted so as to pivot from a horizontal position to a downwardly inclined position and a flap is provided hinged so as to expose in one position said gate to such cables and in a closed position to prevent access of such cables to the gate, and wherein said loop carrier portion carries a cable holder for carrying the static cables normally associated with mining installations, said holder being carried so that when a plurality of carriers are secured to a spill plate in use, the static cables carried by the holder form with the spill plate a trough for the loop to run in which is open at the bottom.
 8. A carrier as claimed in claim 1 wherein said loop carrier portion is expansible so as to accommodate in use the double thickness of the looped cables as the widest part of the loop is being passed therethrough.
 9. A carrier as claimed in claim 8 wherein said loop carrier portion comprises a bracket comprised of two telescopically slidable parts.
 10. A carrier as claimed in claim 1 wherein said support portion comprises a plate either having bores therein for receipt of bolts to secure the same to a spill plate or an inverted channel portion for engagement with the top of a spill plate.
 11. A carrier as claimed in Claim 1 wherein said support portion comprises a plate having bores therein for receipt of bolts to secure the same to a spill plate or an inverted channel portion for engagement with the top of a spill plate, and the plate is provided with a lateral extension against which in use a spill plate is secured.
 12. A carrier as claimed in claim 1 wherein said loop carrier portion and said support portion comprises respective upper and lower portions of a bracket adapted in its lower portion for securement to an extension out of the plane of the spill plate or to a clevis rail attached to the spill plate so that in use the bracket with the spill plate and its extension or the clevis rail and the spill plate forms a trough for the loops to run in.
 13. Apparatus for controlling looped cables used to supply power and water to mining machines, which apparatus comprises a spill plate carrying at spaced intervals therealong the carrier comprising a support portion adapted for securement to a spill plate associated with a face conveyor or to a clevis rail attached to a spill plate, a loop carrier portion carried by said support portion, a pivotally mounted gate biased to a closed position, so that said portions with the gate in a closed position or said portions and an extension out of the plane of spill plate, or a clevis rail and spill plate, with said gate in a closed position are capable of enclosing an area to accommodate the looped cables.
 14. Apparatus for controlling looped cables used to supply power and water to mining machines, which apparatus comprises a spill plate carrying at spaced intervals therealong a carrier comprising a support portion adapted for securement to a spill plate, a loop carrier portion carried by said support portion, a pivotally mounted gate biased to a closed position so that said portions with the gate in a closed position or said portions and an extension out of the plane of spill plate, or a clevis rail and spill plate, with said gate in a closed position are capable of enclosing an area to accommodate the looped cables wherein said spill plate carries a rail along its top edge on a face remote from said mineral conveyors so that that portion of the channel portion which is on the remote side of said rail to the rest of said carrier is flush with said remote face of the spill plate. 